italian violin maker from Cremona Italy violinmaker - Violini di Cremona Italia Vittorio e Marcello Villa maestri liutai Latest update on November 12, 2016 P.I.:00849950191 P.I.: 01076010196 Questo sito NON utilizza cookie COOKIE FREE WEBSITE Vittorio and Marcello Villa are Italian violin makers. In their workshop in Cremona, Italy, they make violins, violas, cellos, bowed baroque instruments according to Stradivari, Guarneri, Amati's violinmaking style. Marcello and Vittorio Villa luthiers have also been teachers at IPIALL, the violinmaking school in Cremona. In the world there are many words that indicate the same job: violin maker, fiddle maker, luthier, geigenbauer, geigenmaker, etc.. The Italian word for luthier is liutaio. Violinmakers from Italy are considered the best in the world. Although many people make violins, only few are actually professional makers of fiddles.

Marcello and Vittorio Villa are also well known as makers of inlaid decorated instruments (violini intarsiati). Have you ever seen a Villa violin, viola or cello? You can find their violins in many important classical music places in the world, sometimes even along with Stradivarius instruments: orchestras, string quartets, music schools and, of course this web site! CLICK AND ENJOY ! Both Marcello and Vittorio 's particular passion is reproduction of Stradivari and Amati inlaid instruments, which they believe to be the quintessence of artistic and technical perfection. Marcello Villa was born in Monza in 1965. He graduated in 1983 at the International School of Violin-making in Cremona, obtaining the highest possible merit in his final year. Marcello Villa was awarded in many violin making competitions as you can read in his web pages. His instruments distinguish themselves for many reasons: beauty and fine acoustics. For many years he has been dedicated to the reproduction of classical Italian instruments.

He has made copies of instruments by Andrea Amati, Nicola Amati, Andrea Guarneri, Francesco Ruggeri, Guarneri del Ges�, Antonio Stradivari, all of which have been particularly appreciated in the U.S.A., Germany and Japan. Baroque-specialised musicians have shown great interest in his period instruments: viola d'amore, viola da gamba, pochette, lira da braccio, baroque violin, baroque viola, baroque cello. Vittorio Villa was born in Monza in 1961. He has a Conservatory Diploma in Violin playing and has performed as a violinist with important Italian orchestras. He graduated in 1992 at the International School of Violin-making in Cremona. Also teacher at the same institute, he furthermore had the opportunity to research the aspects of physical acoustics in the field of bowed instruments. It is due to this background, both as a performer and as a researcher, that Vittorio Villa's instruments are sought after by musicians for their sound quality in addition to their fine workmanship.

Vittorio was finalist in several Italian and international violin making competitions (11� Concorso Citt� di Bagnacavallo, Triennale degli strumenti ad arco A. Stradivari Cremona 1991 e 1997, Mostra Concorso Comune di Baveno 1995). Since 1997 he decided to no longer participate in these competitions, due to the unique characteristics of his antique looking instruments that hardly suit the aesthetic rules usually adopted in such violinmaking contests. Vittorio prefers being successful directly among musicians and it is with this that many of his instruments are played by prestigious musicians, themselves being often part of important orchestras worldwide.

The Violin-Makers of Cremona | ITALY Magazine The Violin-Makers of Cremona Martin Gani | Friday, January 20, 2012 - 10:06 Martin Gani meets the descendants of Andrea Amati, who invented the modern violin in the 16th-century, and the master violin-maker of all time Antonio Stradivarius I am on my way to an appointment at Cremona’s international school of violin-making in Palazzo Raimondi, a 16th-century building in the historic core of the city, to see budding violin-makers taught by the descendants of the old masters. I enter a workshop where several young people are bent over violins, carefully crafting their instruments. Giorgio Scolari, for 30 years supervising teacher and violin-maker and the vice principal of the school, is my guide. ‘We currently have some 140 students,’ he explains. ‘Eighty percent are from overseas. They learn the Cremonese art of violin-making over four years. It takes a whole academic year to complete one instrument.’ I want to know how closely they follow the methods of the old masters.

‘As you can see, there are no machines, every stage is carried out as close to the traditional procedures of the masters as possible,’ he says. I linger in the workshop fascinated by the passion and perfection with which the students tackle their art. They listen to the instructions of Signor Scolari with utmost care and correct the imperfections instantly. I ask Scolari where I can listen to a Stradivarius. ‘Try Palazzo Comunale at midday,’ he suggests. Appointment with a Maestro I soon find myself sitting in an austere salon of the 13th-century town hall waiting for the start of the shortest concert I have ever attended. A solemn, white-haired maestro, carrying a Stradivarius violin as if it was a new-born baby, makes his appearance. A reverent silence falls on the audience occupying the whole of the sizeable hall. As the maestro moves the bow, delicate notes emanate in stints and waves. Seconds later the music penetrates the skin, begins caressing the pleasure centres, faces assume beautific expressions. At the end of the 12-minute concert, the public erupts into an applause that seems to go on for as long as the performance itself.

The brief recital is followed by a guided tour of Palazzo Comunale. In one room stand five violins and a viola proudly posing behind glass casements The guide explains they were constructed by Andrea Amati (1566), his sons Gerolamo and Antonio (viola, 1615), grandson Niccolò (1658), Giuseppe Guarneri (1689), his son Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù (1734), and Antonio Stradivari (Stradivarius) (1715). She takes it for granted that everyone knows these masters were born in Cremona, but underlines, ‘Three families of violin-makers are responsible for the invention of the modern violin. The best, the most sought-after violins to this day came from their workshops.’. The recital I heard is a daily ritual to maintain the acoustic qualities of the instruments. I ask Andrea Mosconi, the solemn maestro whose job it is to carry out this ritual, what differences there are between these violins, bearing in mind they were made by different masters over a period spanning nearly two centuries.

His response is as crisp as his performance was fluid, ‘More than differences, I’d point out what unites them. They all have a Cremonese sound.’. Old Friends Reunited The revival of violin-making in Cremona is a relatively recent phenomenon. It all began in 1937 when commemoration celebrations marking the bicentenary of Stradivarius’s death were planned. From far away places like London, Paris and New York 136 instruments arrived in Cremona. Forty-one were by Stradivarius, including his first violin dated 1667 and the last he made in 1737. There were 11 by Guarneri del Gesù and six by Niccolò Amati. The rest were signed by lesser-known but not necessarily lesser-valued Cremonese masters of the 1600s and 1700s. On the 15th of June 1937 at Cremona’s A. Ponchielli theatre, a still-talked-about concert took place. The music of Corelli, Bach, Vivaldi and Boccherini was played using the old instruments exhibited in the city.

Twenty four Stradivarius, nine Guarneri and one Amati in a joint effort produced such divine music that the concert made headlines around the world. In September 1938 Cremona’s traditional violin-making school was launched, only to be interrupted for a decade by the Second World War. In the 1950s it picked up momentum and went from strength to strength. It inspired and renewed passion for making violins in the tradition of the founding fathers. The handful of violin-makers in the 1960s has today grown to some 100 workshops where the ‘new masters’ and their apprentices make or restore mainly violins but also violas and cellos. As the annual production of a violin-maker is around ten instruments a year, most work is commissioned, and the waiting list can be as long as 6 months to a year. I wonder what a new Cremonese violin would cost. ‘Between 25,000 and 212,000,’ I am told.

The Stradivarius Legacy The golden age of violin-making in Cremona began with Andrea Amati (1505-1577) who is considered the inventor of the modern violin. His grandson Niccolò Amati (1596-1684) made significant acoustic and aesthetic improvements, Guarneri del Gesù (1698-1744) made robust instruments with a powerful, rich sound, qualities so admired by the virtuoso violinist and composer Paganini that he owned four of them. But the city owes its fame to the inimitable master of all time Antonio Stradivarius (1644-1737). Stradivarius crafted around 1,100 string instruments, mostly violins, of which half are still in existence. He became rich and famous in his own lifetime, violinists and collectors alike started salivating over his instruments soon after he set up shop in Cremona in 1670.

In 1990 a Stradivarius violin was sold for a record $1.4m; in April 1998, Stradivarius broke his own record when his violin ‘Kreutzer’, auctioned by Christie’s in London, fetched $1.58m. The owner had paid $24,000 for it in 1958. Alas, Kreutzer’s primacy didn’t last long. On 1st November 1999 the Swiss music dealers Hug announced that the violin owned by Yehudi Menuhin (1916-1998), a 1742 gem by Giuseppe Guarneri, had just been auctioned for $2.83m. Secret Ingredient The question of what exactly makes a Stradivarius violin so extraordinary has plagued violin-makers to this day. The fact that he used a more prominent scroll, made the corner blocks more massive, increased the curvature of the middle ribs, reduced the arch of the belly, and modified the f-holes may be easy to see and imitate, but why is it that the results are nowhere near the master’s?

I put the question to Fausto Cacciatori, an experienced violin maker and restorer in Cremona. He reveals that the essential difference is the three-phase varnishing technique Stradivarius used. Apparently he mixed silica and potash and applied the resulting glassy liquid to the assembled violin. The liquid entered the pores of the wood and wrapped around the fibres giving the violin a robust constitution, the main reason such a large number of Stradivarius instruments have survived. ‘The three-phase varnishing is still practised by some but not all,’ he says. ‘Although the old masters are taken as models, the ‘new masters’ tend to try new ways, add their own touches.’ ‘The actual ingredients Stadivarius used in the all-important varnishing phase are partly lost or are not known or available. Besides, even if you make a perfect instrument, next to a Stradivarius it will never be the same, simply because it doesn’t bear that reverence-provoking signature.’ Keeping the Spirit Alive Why the violin was invented and thrived in Cremona for 200 years and faded away for just as long before making a comeback will remain a mystery.

Today, walking around Cremona, violin-makers’ workshops crop up frequently, whiffs of varnish tickle nostrils, instruments may hang from the ceiling or on a balcony to dry, shop windows display what’s on offer. A bronze statue of Stradivarius dominates a major square in the city centre, a marble slab in a small public garden recalls where he was once buried, a plaque on a house points out where he lived, a museum exhibits his tools and plans as well as old and new instruments made in Cremona. Every three years the city holds an international violin-making competition named after Stradivarius. But the spirit of Stradivarius, and other Cremonese masters, is kept alive in the daily recitals by maestro Mosconi at Palazzo Comunale. Topic: Stradivarius hometown in Italy gets violin museum Stradivarius hometown in Italy gets violin museum Pin it Share CREMONA, Italy (AP) — The northern Italian town where Antonio Stradivari and other master violin-makers worked will open a new museum celebrating the instrument. Cremona will inaugurate the Museum of the Violin on Sept. 14.

In a recreated violin-maker's shop, visitors can watch how the instruments are hand crafted. They can admire creations of Stradivari and other famous Cremona violin-makers, the Amati and the Guarneri families, with the instruments in protective showcases, and hear violins being played. Museum director Alessandra Villa told a media preview Thursday the place is a musician's "dream come true." Violinist Antonio De Lorenzi likened playing a 300-year-old Stradivarius to painting a fresco with a palette of many varied colors — the instrument rewards the musician with greater possibilities for sound intensity and musical coloration. ___ Italian Violin Makers (Italian Luthiers) Italian Violin Makers (Italian luthiers) by Catherine Marien Italy > Italian art and culture > Italian Violin Makers - Bertolotti da Salò (Gasparo da Salò), a family of double bass players and makers from Brescia. Gasparo Bertolotti (1540 - 1609) known as Gasparo da Salò is considered the founder of the Brescian school of violin makers.

His father Francesco Bertolotti (1513 - 1563) and uncle Agostino Bertolotti (1510 - 1584) were renowned violin players and composers. One of da Salo's violins created in 1574 c. is considered one of the best violins of all times. It is known for the astonishing power and remarkable sound. It was first owned by Ferdinand II, Archduke of Austria and from 1841 by Ole Bull one of the most outstanding virtuoso of the world. Guarnerius is the Latinized form of the family name and Joseph the Hebrew form of Giuseppe. "del Gesu" was added to the name because he signed his labels with a cross and the letters IHS, the Greek abbreviation for Jesus (IHS). Guarnerius del Gesu was by far the most illustrious violon-maker of the family, regarded as second only to the great Italian violin maker Antonio Stradivari. Many soloists prefer his violins to those of Stradivari due to their dark tone and greater power.

The estimate of his total production is not more than 250 violins, of which only 150 violins are known to exist. Home Travel Info Top 5 Places in Italy Italy Rail Pass Luxury Travel in Italy Agritourism in Italy Bed & Breakfast in Italy Italian Cuisine History of Italian Cuisine Popular Foods of Italy Italian Pasta Italian Gourmet Food Italian Olive Oil Italian Cheeses Italian-style Pizza Risotto Regional Cuisines of Italy Italian Wines and Drinks Italian Wine Italian Wine Labels Italian Craft Beers Popular Italian Drinks Italian Sweet Wines Coffee the Italian Way Types of Italian Coffee Special Events Christmas in Italy Getting Married in Italy Honeymoon in Italy 5 Major Opera Houses Festivals in Italy Italian Art & Culture Languages of Italy Italian Opera Famous Italian Luthiers Famous Italians Italian Nobel Prize Winners Italian Mathematicians Italian Inventors Italian Scientists Italian Explorers Expatriates in Italy Fashion, Design & Trends Ferrari Vintage Models Ferrari Sports Cars Italian Design Jewelry - Francesco Ruggieri (1620-c. 1695). He was the first and greatest of a Cremonese family of violin makers, although he is not traditionally considered part of the Cremona school.

It is not sure whether he was a pupil of Nicolo Amati or merely made violins in the style of Amati, but the two families were linked, as Amati was Godfather to one of Ruggieri's sons. However, Ruggieri originally came from the suburbs of Cremona and never received the same aura and recognition as Amati and the Cremona school during his lifetime. Yest today, his violons are rated as highly as those of Amati. They were produced from 1655 to 1718 and have a rich, full tone. His name appears in various forms on the labels, Ruggeri, Ruggerius, Rugier, Regeri, Ruger. - the Micheli family of violin makers: Zanetto Micheli (1490 - 1560) and the brother-in-law Battista Doneda (1529 - 1610) - Giovanni Paolo Maggini (1580 - 1630) from Botticino near Brescia, pupil of Gasparo da Salò.

- Giovan Giacomo Dalla Corna and his family, active from 1510 to1560 The Cremona School - Amati family, founder of the Cremonese school of violin-making: Andrea Amati (1500-1577), laid the basis modern violin-making. His grandson Niccolo had Antonio Stradivari as a pupil. His production does not exceed 24 violins, of which few have survived. The oldest confirmed surviving violin in the world, the "Charles IX", was made by him in 1564. Instruments dated after 1584 are said to be the work of his sons Antonius (1540-1607) and Hieronymus (Girolamo) I (1561-1630), and instruments known to be by Andrea are not numerous. Niccolo Amati (1596-1684): grandson of Andrea Amati. He produced some of the most beautiful violins ever made and is regarded as the best luthier of the family. His violins have a sweet, mellow sound.

His son Hieronymous (Girolamo) Amati II (1649-1740) also became a luthier. - Guarneri family of violin makers of Cremona: Andrea Guarneri (1626- 1698), and two of his sons: Pietro of Mantua (1655-1720), and Giuseppe Guarneri (Joseph filius Andreae) (1666-1739). Two of Giuseppe's sons continued the violin making business: Pietro Guarneri (of Venice) (1695-1762) and Bartolomeo Giuseppe Guarneri (1698-1744), known as Joseph Guarnerius del Gesu. - Antonio Stradivari (1644-1737) of Cremona, brought the violin to its highest level of perfection. He produced about 500 violins. However, the best Stradivari violins were made between 1700 and the 1720s.

The violins of this period render a broader, richer sound, while those of the earlier period produce a sound similar to that of the Amati violins and those of the last period (1730s) produce a deeper, darker voice. Each of his instruments has its own voice, but there is 'genetic resemblance' between all his violins, in part due to a special, preservative varnish used. The most famous, and certainly the most pristine violin, the "Le Messie" (also known as the 'Salabue'), was made in 1716, and never used. It is now located in the Ashmolean Museum of Oxford. The abbreviation "Strad" is often used to refer to his instruments. Custom Search Your guide to discovering Italy bit by bite Photo credits (top to bottom): ufukguler; abxbay ; Jaime Ardiles-Arce ; lucarelli ; Michael Zirkle/Library of Congress. Andrea Amati violin (ca. 1558), MET New York One of the world's oldest still surviving violins. It is also one of the first ones with four strings (previous violins often only had 3 strings).

Violin by Giuseppe Guarneri 'del Gesu' that belonged to Niccolo Paganini (1782 - 1840). It was Paganini's favorite violin, which he called il mio cannone violino, hence the name of the violin il Cannone (The Cannone). In his will Paganini left his violin to the city of Genoa, where it is kept now at Palazzo Tursi, the town's city hall. The violin is periodically played by the violonist Mario Trabucco and by the winner of the International Violin Competition Premio Paganini on October 12 each year at the occasion of the Columbus celebrations. - Bergonzi family of Cremona, of which the most illustrious member was Carlo (1683-1747), a pupil of Antonio Stradivari. Though not as refined, his instruments are greatly esteemed and often compared to those of his masters, Guarneri and Stradivari. The Neapolitan School - Alessandro Gagliano (active from c. 1700 to c. 1735), is considered the founder of the Neapolitan school of violin making.

He was a pupil of Nicolo Amati and Antonio Stradivari and founded his own shop in Naples after returning from Cremona. His violins are said to be very mellow on the G and D strings and silvery on the two top strings. Several of his violins have survived, but instruments in good condition are scarce. The Milanese School Violin makers from Milan include Giovanni Grancino, Carlo Giuseppe Testore and son Carlo Antonio Testore, all born in the mid 17th century. Carlo Ferdinando Landolfi was an important Milanese luthier of the 18th century. The Venetian School Domenico Montagnana (1786 - 1850), is regarded as one of the finest violin and cello makers of his time. His cellos, in particular, are extremely sought after by musicians, museums and collectors. Other luthiers of the Venetian school include Giovanni Battista Guadagnini (1711-1786), Sanctus Seraphin and Carlo Annibale Tononi.

Five stradivari instruments: three violins (the "Betts," "Ward," and "Castelbarco"), a viola (the "Cassavetti") and a cello (the "Castelbarco"), Library of Congress. Recommended reading EARLY HISTORY OF THE VIOLIN FAMILY IN ITALY EARLY HISTORY OF THE VIOLIN FAMILY IN ITALY violin, cello, viola, David Gusset, David Gussett, violoncello, stringed instruments,Stradivari, Stradivarius, Cremona, Guarneri, Guarnerius, instrument maker, history, Italian, Amati,AFVBM, violin varnish, design, luthier, making Amati, Stradivari and Guarneri, whose names have become practically synonymous with the word violin, lived and worked in Cremona Italy in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. Their works represented the highest achievements of a cultural and artistic heritage--a cumulative total of knowledge brought forth by generations of artists, craftsmen, scientists, mathematicians and musical instrument makers of Renaissance Italy.

During the 16th century, the northern Italian cities of Cremona, Brescia and Venice were all active centers of stringed instrument making. Cremona had the greatest influence in the early development of the violin. Andrea Amati (born before 1511, died December 24th[?], 1577) of Cremona was most likely the originator of the violin and its family. The oldest surviving instruments of Andrea Amati date from 1564 and were part of a set of decorated instruments (bearing elaborate painted and gilded scenes, symbols and fleur-de-lys) commissioned by Charles IX of France. Of the set, only eight survive. The others were lost or destroyed during the French Revolution. The Cremonese tradition was carried on by Andrea's two sons Antonio (c. 1540-February 1607) and Girolamo (1561-1630), known as the Brothers Amati.

Girolamo's son Nicola (1596-1684) was the only Cremonese violin maker to have survived the famine of 1628 and the plague which swept through Cremona two years later. By 1632 the plague reached the city of Brescia taking the life of the violin maker, Giovanni Paolo Maggini. Being the sole survivor of a violin making tradition, the task of carrying on that tradition then fell to Nicola, and he proved himself to be most able. During his lifetime he produced some of the most beautiful violins ever made and has come to be regarded as the best maker of the Amati family. Nicola also disseminated his knowledge and skills to his many pupils including Francesco Rugeri (1620-c.1695) and Andrea Guarneri (c. 1626-1698, patriarch of the Guarneri family of violin makers) and his own son Girolamo II (1649-1740). Other pupils of his may have included Giovanni Battista Rogeri, possibly Jakob Stainer (c.

1617-1683) and more than likely, Antonio Stradivari (1644-1737). Adverse economic and political circumstances had an affect on the Cremonese makers as early as the 1730s and marked the beginning of a steady decline in the art. The end of the noblest era of Italian violin making came sometime around the late 18th century. The last of the Cremonese makers' works were turned out with ever greater haste. The instruments of Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesu (1698-1744), grandson of Andrea Guarneri, exemplify this trend. Over a relatively short lifetime, the visual/aesthetic refinery of his earlier work gave way to increasingly erratic--some say capricious--workmanship in his last few years. Despite his hurried approach to detail in his later works, he managed to retain his magnificent varnish and to stay true to his architectural and tonal ideals. His violins along with the numerous instruments of Stradivari are today the most valued and sought after by concert artists and collectors for their sonorous qualities.

Stradivari's home town fears cheap violins - Telegraph Stradivari's home town fears cheap violins Stefano Conia, Stradivari's home town fears cheap violins Image 1 of 2 Stefano Conia: 'We are like tailors. The instrument takes a month and a half to make, then there are "fittings"' By Malcolm Moore in Cremona 12:01AM GMT 05 Mar 2007 In pictures: Stradivari's violins Italy's master violin makers are feeling the strain. The Chinese, who can already turn out a violin, bow and case for £13, are now after the prestige market. Cremona in northern Italy has been the epicentre of violin manufacture since Antonio Stradivari perfected the modern version of the instrument more than 300 years ago. For a professional musician, a violin or cello made in Cremona is the ultimate status symbol. Prices can run as high as £14,000 for a violin and twice that for a cello. "A violin from here is like a Ferrari," said one luthier, or maker of stringed instruments.

Related Articles 07 Apr 2014 However, lutherie, like many of Europe's historic crafts, is coming under threat from cheap Chinese products. "Lots of workshops have closed down," said Stefano Conia, 61, a master violin maker who has been working in the town for 44 years. But in Xiqiao, a town in south-east China, more than 40 companies have sprung up turning out cheap violins. The Taixing Fengling Musical Instrument Company, one of the largest, made 300,000 violins, violas, cellos and basses last year. Now the Chinese are moving upmarket. Last year, Zhu Ming-Jiang from Beijing won the gold medal at the Violin Society of America awards. The silver also went to a Chinese contestant, and four of the 12 competitors given certificates of merit were Chinese. Chinese luthiers have dominated the event since 2004. Mr Conia's small workshop is one of more than 130 in Cremona.

He is only allowed by law to craft 15 instruments a year and he has to keep his leftover shavings of maple and spruce fir to prove he is not overworking. "Many people are very pessimistic," he said. "Times are becoming hard again." Cremona has suffered downturns in its fortunes before. "After the Second World War," said Mr Conia, "my master would only be able to eat meat when he had sold an instrument." The industry rebounded in the 1970s, when Italy's middle class took up the instrument and classical concerts and their musicians soared in popularity. But there was another dip when German and Polish makers flooded the market. Now those German companies have been bought up by the Chinese. "There is not much money around. I have not raised my prices by a single euro in the last four years," Mr Conia said. To fight back, Cremona is moving further upmarket. "We already knew that we cannot compete on price. We must compete on quality," said Mr Conia. "There are good violin makers in China, who we taught at the school in Cremona. But when they leave Italy, they lose a bit of the Italian taste.

The varnish, the sound, the wood is all particular to this city." Francesco Toto, 34, won the town's Trienniale competition last year, one of the world's top prizes. "We are like tailors," he said. "The instrument takes one-and-a-half months to make, and then there are two 'fittings'." The town's consortium of luthiers is taking action to stop a wave of Far-Eastern counterfeits. Buyers can access a database of 700 instruments online and ask for instant pictures of both the front and back of a violin. Each instrument now has a "passport" that records its history. "We see violins for sale on eBay that claim to be made in Cremona but are not," said a spokesman at the consortium, which has its headquarters in Piazza Stradivari. Mr Conia added: "I have seen violins with all my hallmarks, the little details I always add in, which were not mine. It is impossible to tell them apart." Lorenzo Locatelli, another luthier, said: "The Chinese like our instruments, just as they like buying Italian clothes, cars and food.

"As for the great Chinese violin makers, either they will move abroad to earn more money, or their prices will rise. They may have cheap labour, but to use the best wood and materials costs a lot." Publishers wishing to reproduce photographs on this page should phone 44 (0) 207 931 2921 or email syndication@telegraph.co.uk Older and richer | The Economist Older and richer Violin-making is flourishing, but the 450-year-old ones are still the best Dec 17th 2009 Tweet Reuters THE concert at London's Wigmore Hall was a sell-out, and the performance of trios for violin, cello and piano by Schumann and Mozart got a rapturous reception. The cello, played by Tanja Tetzlaff, was a wonderfully mellow 1776 Guadagnini. The violin, played by her brother, Christian Tetzlaff, complemented it beautifully, but its provenance was more unexpected. It was made by a contemporary German luthier, Peter Greiner.

Mr Tetzlaff plays not just one but two Greiner violins: a louder, brighter one he has owned for ten years and which is particularly good for solo parts, and the darker one, more suitable for ensembles, which he used that evening. Most string virtuosi perform on instruments made by Italian masters a few hundred years ago, and preferably by Antonio Stradivari, the greatest of them all. Mr Tetzlaff has previously played two Strads and a Guadagnini. Now, when he gives a concert on one of his Greiners, people often ask whether it is a Strad. He thinks that the best modern violin-makers offer outstanding quality at a small fraction of the price of an old one by a famous maker. In this section Italy's violin cluster: Con brio Jan 17th 2008 Mr Greiner has been making fiddles (as the fraternity likes to call them) since he was 14. Now in his early 40s, he has produced 250 so far. He works closely with a physicist, Heinrich Dünnwald, and aims to make violins whose tone comes close to the human voice.

He charges €32,000-38,000 ($48,000-57,000) apiece, well above the average for a good modern maker, but his waiting list is so long that he will never get to the end. The past two decades have seen a renaissance of string-instrument-making (violins, violas and cellos) by luthiers across the world. They can learn their trade at renowned violin-making schools in a number of countries. But those with the most distinguished connections are in Italy: in Milan, Parma and especially in Cremona, home of the most fabled of the 16th-18th-century violin-makers: the Amati, Guarneri and Stradivari families. Advantage Cremona On a sunny autumn morning students are milling around the Scuola Internazionale di Liuteria A. Stradivari, housed in a palazzo in the centre of Cremona, a handsome city in the Po valley south-east of Milan. Most are foreign, but they all chat in Italian: fluency in the language is one of the school's entry requirements.

All are keen to learn how to make violins in the Cremonese tradition. The school was founded in 1937 to mark the 200th anniversary of Stradivari's death. Since then it has produced nearly 800 graduates. Some 300 were Italian, but most have been foreign, including 58 Japanese, 48 South Koreans and even eight students from China, a country better known for cheap and basic factory-made instruments than for fine violins. Some take the tradition home: two of America's best-known violin-makers, Joseph Curtin and Gregg Alf, trained in Cremona. But many subsequently set up shop in Cremona itself. The city has around 150 luthiers, all hoping to benefit from the city's association with the grandest names in violin-making and from the cluster effect. The local chamber of commerce provides some financial support for showing instruments at fairs and exhibitions. Some 65 luthiers have formed a consortium that certifies products and helps with marketing. Francesco Toto, the consortium's vice-president, thinks that the luthiers benefit from the craft's long tradition in Cremona. But that has been far from continuous.

Violin-making in the city reached its zenith late in the 17th century, then declined from the mid-18th century as luthiers moved elsewhere. By the late 19th century a local factory churned out violins. Only after the school opened, did craftsmen return and quality pick up again. To help create the right atmosphere, Cremona has been adding to its collection of superb old-master violins on view in the town hall, including famous Strads and Amatis. Every morning a curator takes each one out of its glass case and plays it for a few minutes to keep it in peak condition. Another group of magnificent fiddles is on view in the Stradivari museum. A violin-making festival in the city offers a feast of music each autumn and a competition for making stringed instruments is held every three years. Gaspar Borchardt, whose workshop is opposite Cremona's cathedral, is inspired by the beautiful Romanesque building. He says that the city's violin-making school taught him very precise craftsmanship, but most of what he knows comes from 27 years of practice.

He makes about eight instruments a year, each of which takes 200-250 hours of painstaking work—and lots of creative energy. Mr Toto of the makers' consortium explains that “you are constantly thinking about the violin you are making, so you couldn't keep several going at the same time.” Makers usually finish putting together one, then begin varnishing it and start work on the next as the layers of varnish dry. Good violin-makers can earn a reasonable living. A new instrument from Cremona can command up to €18,000, plus tax, depending on the maker. The recession has not helped. Mr Borchardt says he used to have a waiting list of two years, but the downturn has halved it. Still, most makers are not in it for the money but because they are passionate about violins. Something old, something neweyevine Preserving a precious asset Carrying out high-class repairs can be financially more rewarding than making new instruments. Violins are quite fragile and most will need repairing sooner or later, so there is always a demand.

If the instrument is worth a lot, the quality of the repair can make a big difference to its value, so a skilled restorer can set his price. Expertise in making and repairing is essential to a business such as J&A Beare, a venerable London firm of string-instrument dealers, valuers and restorers that has been going for over 100 years. Frances Gillham, a director, previously worked in the musical-instrument department at Christie's, but says that professional musicians rarely buy at auction: they prefer a relationship with a trusted dealer. Beare's has a huge database of old violins which it uses to authenticate instruments, and offers a restoration service. Ms Gillham says that scientific advances have improved restoration techniques and restorers have grown more respectful of the original. Many famous performers play modern violins alongside their old masters. Sometimes they actually prefer them Peter Beare, another of the firm's directors, has made an instrument for Nigel Kennedy, among others. Many famous performers play modern violins alongside their old masters, not least because they are often more resistant to the rigours of air travel and central heating, but also because they may be more suitable for certain kinds of music. Sometimes the musicians actually prefer them.

The cellist Jacqueline du Pré played two Strads and an instrument by Matteo Goffriller, who worked in Venice 300 years ago, but towards the end of her career switched to a modern cello made in Philadelphia by an Italian-born luthier, Sergio Peresson. The highest price yet paid for a contemporary violin, at an auction in 2003, was $130,000 for an instrument made by an American, Samuel Zygmuntowicz, which had previously been owned by a virtuoso, Isaac Stern. Mr Zygmuntowicz, who has also made instruments for Joshua Bell and the Emerson String Quartet, is rated as one of the best violin-makers alive. Even so, that record price probably had much to do with the previous owner. “This is not like the art world,” explains a collector. There are no Andy Warhols or Damien Hirsts among the luthiers. Even outstanding modern instruments rarely fetch more than $30,000-40,000. That sort of money will go nowhere if you want to buy a fine old violin.

Stradivari himself made around 1,100 instruments, a huge number by any standard, because he lived to be 93 and worked obsessively to his dying breath. Around 650 of those instruments survive, mostly violins. But even though there are quite a few Strads around and not all of them have star quality, even a cheaper one now costs around $1.6m. The highest price for a Strad at auction was $3.5m, paid in 2006. But the few that come on the market generally change hands privately, and for far more: an outstanding example is likely to cost $10m-12m. Fine violins by less exalted old Italians still fetch hundreds of thousands of dollars, and prices keep rising. By one dealer's reckoning, fine-violin prices have gone up by an average of nearly 12% a year since 1950. That makes life particularly hard for ambitious young string players. There are many more of them now, achieving ever higher standards ever earlier, and competition is getting fiercer as the profession becomes more global.

Unless they come from wealthy families, they have to win lots of competitions, quickly make a name and hope that someone will lend them a great instrument. Nicola Benedetti, a young Scottish celebrity fiddler, plays a 1712 Stradivari estimated to be worth £2m ($3.3m), lent to her by a generous sponsor. Jennifer Pike, a young English violinist, is trying to scrape together £250,000 to buy her 1708 Goffriller. The best young players may get an interest-free loan from a sponsor or trust, but they will be paying it off for most of their lives. Alternatively they could go to someone like Mr Zygmuntowicz, Mr Greiner or another well-established modern violin-maker and get a beautifully hand-crafted instrument specially made for them at a price they can afford. It will sound splendid, and few of their audience will know the difference. But most of the truly career-minded will try for an old master, by hook or by crook. Are they being silly? Which is the Strad?

Every expert has a story about a “blind” test in which several instruments are played out of sight and the listeners have to guess which is the Strad and which the modern pretender. They often get it wrong. There are good and bad Strads, and some fine modern violins. A lot can be done to tweak an instrument to make it sound better, and a brilliant player can make even a run-of-the-mill violin sound great for five minutes. But he will not want to have to try that hard all the time. And many musicians genuinely believe that a great old instrument will do more for them than a new one. An element of self-reinforcing snobbery is at work. If everyone thinks that old instruments are best, then a self-respecting virtuoso will want to play one because it is expected of him. And old instruments often have a history that adds to their lustre. Stradivari became wealthy by making violins for the rich and powerful. His instruments were highly esteemed, played by the virtuosi of their day, perhaps heard by famous composers. Only a curmudgeon could deny the romance of it all. But the difference may not all be in the mind.

Even enthusiasts for modern instruments often concede that the finest of the old are better than the best of the new. That may have something to do with age itself. Most musical instruments wear out or are consigned to niche markets by design changes. Only violins, violas and cellos last hundreds of years if well looked after. They are working antiques: desirable, collectable and mostly still played every day. Several hundred years off the tree has made the wood dry and light, and constant use may have changed its qualities. Florian Leonhard, a London dealer, says that time has “vibrated the wood”. Ms Gillham at Beare's thinks that some Italian violins from the 1900s are now beginning to improve noticeably as they age. So perhaps in another century the finest instruments made today will also have become even better. But the best of the old Italian masters will probably still outdazzle them.

Next in The world this week X Next in The world this week X Next in Middle East and Africa X Next in Middle East and Africa X Next in Middle East and Africa X Next in Middle East and Africa X Next in Middle East and Africa X Next in Finance and economics X Next in Finance and economics X Next in Finance and economics X Next in Finance and economics X Next in Finance and economics X Next in Science and technology X Next in Science and technology X Next in Science and technology X Next in Science and technology X Next in Books and arts X Next in Books and arts X Next in Books and arts X Next in Books and arts X Next in Economic and financial indicators X Next in Economic and financial indicators X Next in Economic and financial indicators X Next in Economic and financial indicators X Next in Economic and financial indicators X Next in Economic and financial indicators X Next in Economic and financial indicators X Cremona, Italy violin makers - YouTube Cremona, Italy violin makers Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later.

Uploaded on Jan 9, 2008 WTHR-TV in Indianapolis introduces you to makers of rare violins in Cremona, Italy. Category

Question: Which town in Italy is the home of violin making?
Answer: CREMONA